


Trust

by Sumi



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2016-07-30
Packaged: 2018-07-27 16:52:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7626469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sumi/pseuds/Sumi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Natori-san?” Natsume blurted out as he approached his home. Natori-san stood outside the house he shared with the Fujiwaras, one of those tiny smiles playing on his lips. “What are you doing here?”</p><p>Beside him stood Nyanko-sensei who was no longer inebriated. “You didn’t invite him, Natsume?” Nyanko-sensei hissed at Natori who held up a hand.</p><p>“Hiragi told me.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trust

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BonesOfBirdWings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BonesOfBirdWings/gifts).



“Oi Natsume!” Nyanko-sensei-sensei-sensei shouted. He stumbled through the window with a bottle of sake in his paw. 

Natsume glanced his way but couldn’t even manage a genuine smile. He managed a weak one and struggled to keep it on his face. “Welcome back.”

“Cheer up, Natsume! If anything it confirms my theory that Reiko was too volatile for a human male to breed with her. A youkai makes sense.”

The statement was far from tactful but given what Natsume knew about his grandmother it deserved some merit. “Why didn’t any of these abilities manifest until now, Nyanko-sensei?”

“Perhaps it has something to do with the abundance of human blood running through your veins.”

He would’ve put some consideration into Nyanko-sensei’s statement if not for the hiccup that followed directly after. Passing out a minute later certainly didn’t help either. 

Natsume found himself left to his own devices in trying to deal with everything out but he didn’t know where to start. Somehow during the process of giving a youkai its name back, Natsume discovered a new ability that humans didn’t have. 

It was an ability solely youkai possessed.

He wondered what the reaction would be from his friends who knew the truth about the ability to see youkai. Tanuma and Tooru wouldn’t bat an eyelash but Natori-san might. The exorcist had a certain attitude about youkai that had gradually softened over time. He still feared Natori-san’s reaction wouldn’t be a positive one.

“You’re thinking too much, Natsume!” Nyanko-sensei bellowed. He had woken up and jumped onto Natsume’s shoulders. The leftover sake in the bottle the cat still clutched spilled all over, some of it landing on Natsume.

“Nyanko-sensei, I think should you should rest.”

“Yes, but no more thinking Natsume! It’s bad for you.”

Natsume smiled softly when Nyanko-sensei passed out. He decided to take his advice and go to sleep. The hope was that in his sleep Natsume wouldn’t worry too much. Naturally, this was to much to ask. 

He had a few dreams (nightmares really) about Natori-san exorcising him. Sleep became fleeting that night but Natsume left for school, a smile on his face. The Fujiwara’s were good to him. Natsume didn’t want to worry them.  
School proved to be a challenge. Before arriving, Natsume gave a youkai it’s name back and then slept through homeroom and half of the first class. Nothing new and Tanuma was nice enough to (gently) wake him up.

On the way home, Tanuma questioned him about it, which Natsume expected but he assured him he was all right. Tanuma nodded, accepting the answer until they had to go their separate ways.

“Natori-san?” Natsume blurted out as he approached his home. Natori-san stood outside the house he shared with the Fujiwaras, one of those tiny smiles playing on his lips. “What are you doing here?”

Beside him stood Nyanko-sensei who was no longer inebriated. “You didn’t invite him, Natsume?” Nyanko-sensei hissed at Natori who held up a hand.

“Hiragi told me.”

“Told you, Natori-san?”

He pushed his glasses up with his pointer finger and seemed to be studying Natsume’s face. “If a relation of Natsume Reiko is discovered to be part Youkai you can bet news is going to travel fast, Natsume-kun.”

“The kid is here to exorcise you, Natsume!”

Natsume grabbed Nyanko-sensei before he could lunge at Nator-sani. “Natori-san doesn’t have any bad intentions, Nyako-sensei. He’s just being a friend.” He spoke to Nyanko-sensei in a soft tone so Natori-san couldn’t hear.

A hand quickly covered his mouth. Natsume sensed Nyanko-sensei was about to say something rude so he thought it best to stop him in his tracks before he could say it.

“Whatever your cat wanted to say is far from the truth. I only wanted to see how you were doing, Natsume-kun.”

He felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment and something else he couldn’t identify. Natsume wanted to ask Natori-san how he felt about the fact that he was part youkai. His eyes and expression were unreadable. This only proved to make Natsume feel even more uneasy.

“Would you like to come in, Natori-san? We can talk some more inside where it’s warm.” Nyanko-sensei kept shouting muffled threats but Natsume continued to keep him firmly in his arms.

Natori-san’s response was nothing more than a nod. He tried desperately to again read the expression on Natori-san’s face. His response to Natsume’s question didn’t even yield any answers. It was something Natsume found more than frustrating and unnerving.

They sat at the table with Nyanko-sensei sitting between them. He wasn’t saying anything but he kept glaring at Natori-san. Natsume wanted to speak but his fear kept getting the best of him. Thankfully, Natori-san decided to break it.

“So how are you doing, Natsume-kun? I trust no one has given you any trouble?”

“Trouble?”

“You have great spiritual power and also happen to have youkai blood. That could make you a target for others Natsume-kun.”

Nyanko-sensei looked ready to lunge. “Like you!”

“Sensei that isn’t what Natori-san meant.”

“It isn’t,” Natori-san explained. “I just wanted to see if any incidents had taken place as I am sure they will in time.”

“You’re acting very nonchalant about this for someone who has such a hatred for youkai!”

Natsume decided it was time to prevent Nyanko-sensei from speaking again. He pulled Nyanko-sensei into his lap, one hand covering his mouth. “It doesn’t… bother you Natori-san?”

He blinked slowly, looking as if he was surprised by Natsume’s question. “You are still Natsume-kun. Youkai blood doesn’t change that fact.”

Suddenly Natsume was aware of how very close Natori-san was to him. He didn’t really have a chance to process it because the next second Natori-san kissed him. The kiss ended almost as soon as it began. Natsume blamed Nyanko-sensei because he broke free and lunged for Natori-san for a third time.

“I should go but remember what I said, Natsume-kun.”

Another kiss and then Natori-san left. Natsume heard Nyanko-sensing ranting but he ignored him, instead focusing on Natori-san’s words.

They filled him with hope.

“Natsume, snap out of it! You can’t fall for that exorcist!”

Natsume broke out of his daze and smiled at Nyanko-sensei. “Sensei you don’t have to worry.” Well, Sensei didn’t have to worry about Natori betraying them because he really did trust Natori-san.

Totally and completely.


End file.
